Vey high humidity (97%) again this morning, after very heavy rain last night. Somehow suddenly rain is coming all the time.

In spite of the humidity, the walk was ok, I didn’t really feel it like I do some mornings, perhaps a slight wind, perhaps the rain last night, I don’t quite understand how humidity works. Outside of the obvious that is.

Pace was 9 seconds slower than my goal, which isn’t bad for the humidity, if the humidity indeed slows my pace.

Oddly enough today was one of the longest walks, .20 vs .11 yesterday or about .09 of a mile more, but I didn’t notice anything, other than my watch tapping out the miles a little sooner than normal.

The watch kind of “taps” at each mile, which is nice.

My walking shoes are reaching their life span, I think I can feel it in my feet. The deterioration is so gradual, you don’t really notice it until you notice it, so to speak. My goal is to walk as long as possible in the shoes without being destructive to my feet.

They have reached the approximate mileage limit for this quality of shoe.

They continue to make very good “causal” shoes, so I am building up a supply of “causal” walking shoes, since in the summer I normally wear sandals unless I am working in the field.

I actually can wear “decent” walking shoes (read clean, no obvious tears etc.) in the field so I plan ahead and don’t buy any wild colors etc. and buy colors that will be somewhat muted and not noticeable. I think walking shoes have become acceptable in almost any situation, again depending on the shoe.

I read where clothes, old walking shoes etc. are now gathered and shipped to various countries where they are sorted and resold if possible, if not they are torn apart and recycled.

Makes me feel a little better about giving my old shoes and clothes that I feel should go to the dump to a charity that will sell them to be recycled!

Actually, I have bought five “generations” of “quality” walking shoes since the podiatrist advised me to wear better shoes. I have given away the first generation, which were so worn out metal was sticking out of the rubber or whatever it is on the soles. The second generation will go soon, they are rapidly becoming unsuitable for even causal wear.

Speaking of old clothes, I have two shirts that I just realized are 20 years old. I wear them a lot as “after shower” and “after swimming” shirts since they are absorbent without being “heavy”. I hate to see them wear out, but they are developing holes (more from they way they are hung on hooks), but they are probably good for several years yet.

It’s not that I”m cheap, (well, anyway), but I just don’t feel like I can really replace them with a shirt I will enjoy as much. Enjoy may be the wrong word, perhaps shirts that are as comfortable for wear after I take a shower or swim are a better word.

Speaking of purchasing, I wanted to buy some aftershave balm, which of course, if becoming “scarce” since it has been out for a long time. I couldn’t find it on hand in the normal stores (Macy’s, Dillards etc.) so I decided to buy on-line. I was surprised to find that the Amazon price was the most expensive, basically the same as Department Stores.

Jet, a Walmart subsidiary, had it for about 55% the price of Amazon, with free shipping and some kind of weird discount for delivery Friday instead of Thursday. Amazon may be getting “walmarted” or “amazoned” by the new competition.

Haven’t seen my friend the opossum any more, hope it is dining well on pests, snakes etc.

Walk this morning was 94 % humidity, which may account for my pace being 25 seconds slower than my goal!

For some reason, the distance was shorter this morning, so I must have taken some shortcuts! I’m talking about .04 of a mile, so it’s not that important, just surprising, since that is about the shortest distance I have walked on my usual walk. A difference of .11 mile versus .21 mile or so, with the averages usually being around .16.

One of my favorite comic strips (Pearls before Swine) made me think about goals this morning. One of the characters is writing down goals, since his therapists told him if he writes down his goals, he is more likely to achieve them.

He only goal at the time was “eat more cheese”, which he admitted may not be the most ambitious goal!

Made me think about how my “goals” are changing as I age. Perhaps the worst part about aging is the sudden (or maybe gradual over the years) changing of the options available to you, or maybe the limiting of options. Kind of like a funnel, the older you get, the fewer options you have.

Not that that is necessarily bad, it also means new options are available also.

I have always enjoyed reading the comic strips. Strangely enough, I can understand what my Dad meant when he said the “comic strips take too much time”. I rush through them now (as I have for years now) and focus on just a few favorites.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal had the best comic strips of any paper I ever read. The current city paper I receive has a few good ones, but doesn’t have my favorite (Lulu, perhaps oddly enough). I also always try to read “Zits”, “For Better or Worse”, “Beatle Bailey” “Dilbert”, “Garfield” Wizard of Id” etc. are ones I try to scan.

It doesn’t take a lot of time, but somehow I always am rushed when I read them.

Completed the “Great Course” on the Industrial Revolution this morning during my walk. Unusually enough, I finished it about halfway through my walk.

I started listening to it again, not sure if I am going to actually listen to it again or not, at least right now. Not that it isn’t worth listening to again, it is what I am missing if I listen to it again.

Had to wait at the public place yesterday, and I became very concerned (read I would have thrown a tantrum if I wasn’t in public) over the Apple iPad “blocking” me from a wi fi site because it “wasn’t secure” and I should “put a password on it”. Obviously I’m not in any capacity to put a password on a wifi from Starbucks, a medical clinic etc. This has happened numerous times the past few months.

The idea that Apple thinks it has to “protect” me makes me very angry and I am going to the Apple store and asking for assistance in getting around it. If I can’t I am not buying any more Apple iPads or probably even Apple products. Not being able to connect to Wi Fi make the iPad basically worthless except at the house.

What is really strange is that my iPhones will connect even with the stupid and worthless “security warning”. I am well aware of the dangers of public wifi and I hardly need the “protection” of Apple blocking me. We’ll see, maybe there is an easy way around it.

I will write Tim Cook a letter complaining about the absurd “warning” and blocking wi fi sites if there isn’t a way around it.

Overall good walk this morning. Humidity was 95%, and my pace was 23 seconds slower than my goal, so there may be some relationship between humidity and my walking pace.

Although the walk was good overall this morning, it still definite had the sense of “heavy” air.

Haven’t seen my friend, the opossum, since the one time I have seen him. Since they are nocturnal I probably won’t see him much. (There big eyes are the result of their pupils being enlarged so they can see at night.) Probably was highly unusual that I would see him at night.

Fortunately I learned they really don’t have rabies that much, since the virus doesn’t do well in their body temperature. Otherwise an opossum in the bright light could be considered a sign of rabies.

Anyway, I warned the pest control people we probably have family of possums living in the bush near our house and we don’t want them disturbed or damaged since they probably do better at pest control than the spraying does!

Listening to the “Great Course” on the Industrial Revolution this morning, they were reviewing some of the reasons for the emerging of the EPA etc. and environmental regulations. It is a real shame there is currently a career criminal heading the EPA now who is bought and paid for by the oil, gas, and chemical industries who will eliminate many of the “good”regulations in a effort to pay his fields by eliminating regulations that are good.

He also ignores open meeting laws and generally operates ignoring all laws and, of course, demanding millions of dollars in security details around him and taking personal trips on tax dollars. A real crook, probably using tax $ to try to get higher political office where he can steal more and do more damage.

There probably are regulations that need to be changed, but operating in criminal secrecy is hardly the way to do it.

They also pointed out that the word “revolution” originally came from the term for a revolving wheel. Since “revolution” means permanent (usually dramatic) change, depending on the context, it seems like the word was used incorrectly, since a revolving wheel revolves and, technically, goes nowhere.

The revolving wheeling does create change since it takes you somewhere.

The “Great Course” on the Industrial Revolution is now in it’s final chapter. I will need to decide if I am going to move on or possibly listen to it again. It really has some valuable information in it.

It really just hit me today that 2018 is really not that far off. As fast as time seems to go, it will be here shortly.

I think I thought about it when i realized the baseball season (the local AAA team) will be over shortly. To use a trite phrase, it seems like it only just begun!

School is starting or already has started, which is a real sign that summer will soon be over and cold weather is coming!
I can remember when 2020 seemed a long way off. Now, we are only a few short winters from it.

A lot of rain the past several weeks. It has basically been a “good” rain, relatively light and a “soaking” rain.

The rain makes a big difference in my early morning routine, since I normally can’t walk in the rain. I always think i will get a lot done since I can use the time I spent walking on something else but….

It always amazes me how fast time goes in the early morning.

Read some more about opossums, they actually are very helpful animals to have around. There actually are some real “possums” but it is more of a regional expression as to whether it is opossum or possum.

I also found they don’t have rabies very often (their body temperature is low for a mammal and won’t normally carry the virus.)

They also are naturally immune to most snake venom etc. and are actually smarter than rats and mice at running mazes etc. As i mentioned they are basically good to have around for pest control.

The things I learn in the early morning!

The city we live in recently sent some information on recycling. This city residents recycle about twice the national average for some reason.

Most of the information was on videos, and I really don’t do videos very often so I didn’t watch the information. Not quite sure why they sent videos and didn’t send just the written information

Videos take so much time to watch. While they can add to the information, normally they don’t and take up a lot of time, so I normally just bypass any videos, especially “talking head” videos.

Anyway, I assume one reason the recycling rate is higher here is that they use “single stream” recycling, which means you just toss all the recycling stuff in a 95 gallon container.

We actually recycle 2 to 3 times our normal trash, at least that is an estimate. Recycling is picked up every two weeks and the bin is normally almost full, regular trash is picked up once a week and it is normally about 20% full.

I found I had a copy of the “Cliff’s Notes” for “Brave New World”. I was surprised to start reading it and realize I had probably never read the book and really didn’t know what it was about.

While I realize I can’t or won’t read everything, I at least like to know what some of the more better known novels etc that created a cultural shift etc. are about.

On the other hand, I have to admit I could care less about some of the shows etc. that are highlighted in the news media (such as “Game of Thrones” currently, which I have zero interest in, or for that matter, the show “Survivor” which was actually reported as “news” when it was popular. I never watched it and again have zero interest in watching such as show and no interest in reading or watching about it. The value of taping the news and the fast-forward button and one reason I like newspapers, you can’t simply skip the news you don’t want to read.

That (being able to skip the news you don’t want to read) is a double edged sword, since it also may mean I don’t read news I simply don’t understand or disagree with while it may be important for me to read about it.

Don’t know that I’ll note the humidity every morning, just thought it might have some relationship to my walking speed.

In Memphis, for a long time I recorded the Mississippi river level, just because it was something completely different. I also recorded the high and lows for the dates for awhile. I don’t know why I stopped, I think it was the extra time (remember this is morning “hypertime”) involved in getting the information and writing it down. It interrupted the flow.

Pace this morning was 7 seconds slower than my goal.

Strange, the humidity was 84% yesterday, but I felt the humidity a lot more yesterday and it wasn’t that warm.

Rain most of day yesterday, one of those long soaking rains that means I probably should turn off the sprinkler system for several days and not waste water on trying keep grass green and really should be brown. Such a waste, but I fall into line and do it anything.

I would feel better about using the water if we were watering flowers or something instead of grass that really wasn’t meant to be green all year anyway.

Our HOA wastes a lot of water on watering landscaping. While I am walking sometimes it is like a river from all of the water they waste. Then of course, they have to spend a lot of money cutting it, kind of a non-winning battle.

Of course they probably are under a lot of pressure to keep everything green, and their excuse is that it is well water. To me, wasting water is wasting water.

Our pet possum (or maybe it is a “opossum”, I’m not real sure of the difference) is quite an animal.

Apparently it is kind of a pest control center. It eats snakes, spiders, rats, mice and almost anything else. I think I’ll put out some water so it will stay around.

I think it (and probably an opossum family) is living in the bushes around our house. The more the merrier if they eat snakes, spiders, mice etc. They are welcome to stay.

They are nocturnal animals. Our back patio is well lit at night, and it could be it didn’t see me in the bright light, since I assume it actually sees better in the dark. Just a thought.

We had scheduled a pest control company to come out to spray the house, which I think includes some outside spraying. Now I am concerned about the Opossum getting sick from the pest control poison. I”ll check with the company. Hate to lose our “natural” pest control, especially if it keeps snakes away.

Kind of a heavy feeling this morning in the air during my walk (Humidity is 87%). Sitting on the patio now, the heavy feeling is still in the air.

Pace was 13 seconds slower than my goal, probably because the humidity slows me down, or at least the perception slows me down.

The “Great Course” on the Industrial Revolution this morning mentioned the book “Brave New World”, written 1932.

Brave New World must be one of those books that I have thought I read, but either haven’t read it or I completely forgot what I read. Of I didn’t understand what I was reading when I read it so I don’t remember that I read it. Or something like that.

Anyway, I didn’t realize it basically equated Henry Ford era with the era of Jesus. (The novel was set in 600 AT, for “after Ford”).

I am sure I would have remembered it if I had read it, but as I noted, I may have not understood it.

I will have to read at least a synopsis of it.

Speaking of not understanding the story, due to a lack of tv, computers and people when I was a child I read a lot. I was reading my older brothers and sisters high school literature books when I was in probably the 4th through 6th grade.

I remember one story I read numerous times “Alas Babylon”. I didn’t realize until years later when I read it and realized it was a story about after life a long time a nuclear war! (Radioactive areas, “roads of the Gods” etc. There were a lot of stories that I didn’t understand, but I still enjoyed reading them, time and time again.

Strange, I just had a possum come up to me and drink water out of an empty flower pot on the patio. Actually, it was about 5 feet from me. It could be it’s sight isn’t good enough to see me, but it either didn’t smell or see me or decided I was part of the landscape. Or it just decided I wasn’t a danger for some reason (it was absolutely right!)

I’m not quite sure if a possum is dangerous or not. I checked first to make sure it wasn’t a skunk. If it had been I’d probably never come out on the patio again in the early morning!

I think it was a possum, it had a long skinny nose and a hairless tail (or at least appeared hairless). Maybe it will take care of bugs etc.

I also had a bird come and sit within a foot of me the other day, maybe they consider me a non-threatening part of the landscape!

I was rather surprised to learn that the US provided almost all of the trucks, tanks etc. the Soviet Union had in World War II during it’s fight with Germany. I guess it was away of keeping Hitler at bay. I think the idea was they would destroy each other.

Yesterday, I was rather surprised to learn that my granddaughter and I share the same tastes in music to some degree. Her favorite music is actually classic rock, the Beatles etc. and she was actually impressed that I knew Jimmy Hendrix and Stevie Vaughan, or rather was alive at the same time they were alive and remembered them

Adjourned inside (or rather the proper word is “recessed”) inside. A light rain started and I have learned a very expensive lesson of what a few drops of moisture will do to my laptop!

With the possum and rain, it has been even weirder than normal this time of the morning!

Rain this morning, it seems to come and go fast. By the time the newspaper came, the rain seemed to have stopped.

Still undecided about “going digital” on newspapers. I am finding the problem with digital is that you don’t get around to reading them, other than maybe some top stories. May just be habit.

I do know that when I switched to digital magazines, I basically don’t read them. I may use them to look up something, but I don’t just sit and read them like I did physical magazines.

For all i know, maybe that is good, maybe I can use my time better elsewhere.

I have always been interested in knowing what is going on, being aware of everything I can. I don’t know if you call that being nosey or being intelligent and curious!

While I don’t always agree, I like reviewing several “electronic” newsletters I am sent that try to predict the future. Sometimes they spark a thought that leads to an entire new concept of considering something.

As I recently mentioned, I think it is easy to get into a rut of behavior or thinking, and the rut becomes so deep you think the rut is the world, but it is only a rut and there is an entire world you are missing.

Just for the heck of it, I looked up the word “rut”, because I was thinking I was in a “rut” and misusing the word. I wasn’t, it refers to “boring”, “routine” etc.

However, I also found that “rut” is derived from “route”, which doesn’t necessarily mean boring or routine to me, it means a way of getting to a goal.

Of course when I picture “being in a rut”, I think of being at the bottom a big trench with high sides and you only know what is in the rut, not the outside part. Not good!

Probably one of my biggest fears has been finding myself (or worse yet not realizingI) in a rut and just mindlessly going through life.

On the other hand, I wouldn’t want to become so committed to not being in a rut that I was in a rut of not being in a rut so to speak.

Actually some being in a rut is probably good, I just need to make sure I don’t live my entire life there.

Rain last night, almost thought it was raining this morning, but checked and it was actually nice outside, just a little wet. Strong thunderstorms were going on south of us, but not here.

Pace was 13 seconds slower than my goal pace. Humidity is high (actually it says 100%) and that could have a little to do with my relatively slow pace.

Didn’t think I could sit out on the patio this morning, but there is no rain and it is very pleasant.

The air is really wonderful this morning. There is a light breeze.

Thinking some more about evaluation/criticism. This morning, while listening to the “Great Course” on the Industrial Revolution, they discussed the “Hawthorne Effect”.

Basically, the study was to find what helped productivity of workers on a phone assembly assembly line. They tried different levels of light, different wall colors etc.

Of course, they discovered that anything they did increased productivity because the workers liked the attention and responded to the interest in their jobs by increasing productivity.

One of those things that you should intuitively know, but sometimes it takes something unique to explain something!

I think that is true of anyone in any situation. If you are honestly interested in someone or their situation, it makes it more interesting and rewarding for that person.

I am fortunate in that I rarely face a blank sheet of “paper” and go braindead *(Writers block) not knowing what to say What I say may not be that interesting or creative but it does flow easily from my mind to my keyboard and then on to the screen.

I actually liked typing in high school, actually took two years of typing. I would even practice no the type writer (a manual at the time)

While the equipment has dramatically changed, i always am glad I took the typing classes, it was really helped me deal with computers, blogs etc.

I can actually remember the old “ball” IBM electric typewriters and I thought that was the height of technology! Of course, at the time it was.

I can still remember when I switched to a computer and the words just magically appear on he screen.

I am sure that seeing the words pop up on the screen and being able to immediately read your thoughts makes a huge difference.

Probably “spell check” had nearly as much an impact as anything else in shaping how we wrote and composed on the computer.

I’m not sure if it had a positive impact only on spelling. Since i don’t need to worry about spelling, I can concentrate on other factors. Of course, that doesn’t account for the fact that “spell check” makes you lazy by not having to look up a word! Also spell check can waylay you and make a word say something you had no intention of saying.

Wonderful morning for walk etc. For some reason my pace was 30 seconds slower than my goal. I never really know how I am doing while walking.

The “don’t know how doing” brings up another thought, as far as honest feedback. So many times, I have seen people who honestly feel they are doing well, but for some reason no one tells them their weaknesses until it is beyond repair.

Of course, there is also the other side, the person who is doing extraordinarily well, and doesn’t get feedback to that effect!

Both extremes can be disastrous or at least counterproductive.

I always thought the best “evaluation” was the daily feedback you give someone on how they are doing, although a long term perspective is also good.

Toastmasters has a system of “evaluation”, not criticism or praise for that matter, just an “evaluation” of a speech or meeting etc. It may well turn into criticism or praise, but the overall objective is feedback to assist a member in improving.

I remember years ago I was taking an on-line course in Management and I learned the term “Kaizen”, or continuous improvement.

I think the concept struck me as one of those thoughts which I knew, and probably practiced, but I had never thought of it as a concept before and it really made sense.

Of course, there are numerous articles on the “problem with Kaizen” etc. and, in fact, whenever I look up the word (which I just did), my earlier blog posts on it are cited!

Like anything, it can be taken to extremes. Also, I don’t think anyone really though you should try only for “continuous improvement” and not try for the “big leap” also!

Actually, listening to the “Great Course” on the Industrial Revolution shows a history of “great leaps” with many instances of “continuous improvement” as an invention is refined etc.

This morning, the instructor reviewed Henry Ford’s assembly line and how it changed the standard of living, but also dehumanized the production of work.

Something I hadn’t realized, the Model T, the first Henry Ford car, was basically made without “new models” each year. It was literally continuous improvement. Henry Ford also pioneered the “installment purchase” to purchase cars (following Singer and installment purchase on Singer sewing machines) and the concept that a person making the product should make enough to purchase it.

It was actually General Motors who started the “new model each year” concept and Ford had to follow to remain competitive. While this increased the market (persons were more likely to trade if they had an entirely new model) it also made it much more expensive to make the equipment changes etc.

Already August 9. Soon school will start and the basic concept of Summer will be over, although Summer weather should continue for several months.

Enjoying sitting on the patio this morning, a little nippy, but very pleasant.

Thought it would feel “cool” this morning, but actually is very pleasant. Sitting out on patio and not uncomfortable (on the cool side) at all.

Glad to get back to walking this morning. Pace was 3 seconds faster than my goal, so I am meeting my goal on a regular basis. Maybe time to move it up!

On the other hand, I don’t really see anything wrong with meeting a goal and being satisfied with it. I guess the key if I am satisfied with my goal and reaching my goal. That I don’t know yet.

Felt somewhat ancient, in a nice way, when I was asked a question about Toastmasters by a beginning Toastmaster last night. (The question was “what was the most important action to take for a member of Toastmasters to get the most out of the club”.)

Good question, and I hope right person to ask it of. I think he had just heard I have been in Toastmasters for a while, which hardly qualifies me as an expert, but does provide some qualifications to speak about it.

However, I think I advised him correctly, which was to “do it” so to speak, speak as often as you can, be an Officer so you can learn that aspect, take advantage of the opportunity to speak and act in the supportive atmosphere of Toastmasters, where everyone has the same objective. Whatever you do, don’t become a “get a round tuit” member.

I own’t go into to positive aspects of Toastmasters, like anything you get out of it what you put into it, but in most clubs it is a wonderful organization. If you don’t like the club you’re in, try another one!

I actually enjoy being asked questions like that, I guess one of the fulfilling parts of getting older, or as a friend used to say “experienced”.

Listening to the “Great Course” about the Industrial Revolution, the book mentioned that two aspects of the Industrial Revolution were:

-The belief that any problem could be solved; and

-The belief that any invention was a transition to a new invention and would be superseded by something cheaper and better!

Some things never change!

I think these two concepts are major building blocks of our entire system and a strong belief that obviously has continued to be a major factor for several hundred years!

Another bit of information that surprised me is that actually bicycle groups (they were called “Wheelmen) were instrumental in supporting better roads, more so even than cars in the late 1890’s.

The book also goes into the history of Henry Ford a little, which makes me realize what a visionary he really was.

I always wonder if one person (such as Henry Ford, Edison, Rockefeller Tesla, Lincoln etc.) didn’t step up, would someone else have come along with as good or a better idea? I guess we will never know.

I also always wonder, if the wheel hadn’t been invented, would flying machines have been invented much sooner and would it have been better overall?